Lost Demons, Dispaired Kittens
by ttiiggeerr
Summary: Sequel to Kitten Troubles! Here it is, the long awaited sequel in which Harry finds another love to capture his heart and Tom gets a sucker punch to the face, metaphorically speaking, and Severus gets caught in the middle. Want to find out more? Come check it out! Rated M for the same reasons as Kitten Troubles.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys! This is the promised sequel to Kitten Troubles!**

**If you haven't read the first, then I suggest you read that first. It'll make everything seem more sensible than just jumping in.**

**No, I do not plan on making another sequel after this. Please don't ask. In time I may change my mind, but I don't forsee any other outcome for this story to have a third installment. **

**Yes, I do plan on this being just as long as the first.**

**I don't own the characters in this story, I only manipulate them to do my bidding. **

**Happy Readings!**

* * *

Although two years had passed between the famous Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort, it seemed like less to them. Time just seemed to fly by for them at a rapid pace, too fast to keep up with and yet somehow they did it. Harry had spent a lot of time dedicated to making sure that everyone did as they were told and to making sure that Tom saw just how much he meant to the shadow demon. And Tom spent it going to meetings and political debates deciding on major issues and what punishments should be for wrongdoers and being the leader that the Wizarding World had needed for years.

It wasn't until May of their second year of dating that things started to go south quite quickly.

Tom was slowly being sucked into the political world and wanted less and less to do with his companion, regardless of how many times Viper tried getting his attention to win back his affection. And because of Tom pushing him away, Viper slowly started to want nothing to do with him.

He had had people push him away before, but that wasn't a big deal. He was used to someone blowing up on him and then leaving for months on end, and yet Tom would yell at him and then two hours later be apologizing. He didn't seem to care that the constant ups and downs were wearing Harry down quicker than quicksand would swallow a stick. He just didn't want to break Tom's heart by being brutally honest.

And then one day, it happened.

Tom had gotten home late again, and started an argument on why Harry shouldn't stay up for him. Nevermind the fact that Viper didn't need to sleep as often as he did nor did he need the same amount of sleep Tom did. And Viper blew up.

"Look Tom, I love you but you don't know what you're doing to me by yelling and screaming at me for nothing and then apologizing and spewing some romantic crap about how much you wish you could take it back. If you were sorry then you wouldn't be doing this to me in the first place! I don't care how much this might hurt your pride or your feelings at this point, because clearly you didn't care about that two minutes ago when you decided to treat me like this and worse on other occasions. You need to either grow up and learn how to treat the people you're around or you're losing me. You've already pushed all your friends away, including Severus and I refuse to be left behind by more sensible people if you really can't learn from your mistakes the first time. Get it together and fast or I'm gone." He got up and left the bedroom in favor of a couch in the library.

That's where he spent the next week sleeping.

And it wasn't for lack of trying to sleep in the bed, it was because every night a similar occurrence would happen and he would leave to seek the solitude the library gave him. It was a library that locked from the inside for once instead of just the outside so no one could get in if they wanted to if Viper didn't want to be disturbed. At one point the doors could recognize Tom's magical signature but he had long since put a block on even that.

He just couldn't handle being around him and most definitely didn't need him bursting in to demand that he come back to bed only so Tom could fall asleep right away and Viper could cry himself to sleep. That wasn't what he wanted in a relationship nor did he ever envision that happening between the two of them. It was breaking his heart to see the way that the relationship was going.

And it was the next day that he couldn't take it anymore.

He had overheard Tom muttering to himself in an angry slur of whispered questions; apparently he was wondering why he was still with Viper. When he left, Harry called Severus to come as soon as he could. When Severus did get there, it all came spilling out.

Viper had tried and tried to keep it all in to himself, tried making sure that no one knew there was any issues between him and Tom, but he couldn't pretend anymore. It was time to ask for help. And Severus seemed the most trustworthy person he could contact that would be able to make it within minutes.

Severus rarely disappointed.

He had listened carefully and attentively for hours on end while the demon spilled all of his secret despairs about the relationship he felt trapped in and let it all hang in the air like a heavy weight that had just been exercised from the man in front of him. He could feel the heartbreak the man was feeling and didn't want to say anything that would trigger another river to flow from his sweet eyes. Anyone that did that to someone they were supposed to love didn't deserve love from anyone.

"Would you like my opinion, little snake?" For little snake is what he had been calling Viper since he knew about Harry Potter being a shadow demon. At the timid nod he continued. "I suggest you get some space. Move out, get some fresh air and travel to a different climate. It couldn't hurt and you'll be able to see new lands and have some free time to yourself. Let Tom handle everything, he's more than capable. Tell you what. I've been planning on taking a holiday myself, why don't you join me? I was planning on going to my mansion in Italy for awhile to just get back to what makes me happy and then going to France as a tourist to enjoy everything I've ever wanted to see with it's full impact. Would you like to come? It'll be a few months rather than weeks. My holidays are never short, I hate feeling rushed." Severus was astonished when he saw him nod his consent and was even more amazed to find out that he had been planning leaving for a few nights he just needed a push to do it.

That night, Tom came home to an empty castle with a lonely note on the freshly made bed. It read,

'Tom, I warned you. You kept pushing me away and now it's too late to go back and fix it. I still love you, and I'll miss you. But I need time away. Maybe for a week, maybe forever. But for now, we're through. This isn't going anywhere. I'm sorry.'

The note had left Viper crying after he left it and it left Tom furious. Who was he to tell him that they needed to be through? He'd be back, their relationship wasn't broken. It was just fine, he just needed time to see that.

When he found a small box with an engagement ring inside Viper's pillow, it hit him. And Tom Riddle cried for the first time he could ever remember.

* * *

**Don't forget to review guys!**


	2. Chapter 2

**So, another chapter. Hope you guys like it just as much as the last one!**

* * *

Leaving the goodbye note on the pillow left Viper crying for a few hours and even more heavily when he decided that it was high time that Tom knew just what he had lost. He left the ring he had bought a few months prior in the pillowcase he knew that Tom would be hugging when he fell asleep, just like every other night for the past two weeks. It was a reminder to Tom just how much Viper had wanted it to work, so much so that he had planned on proposing to him until he started pushing everyone away.

Not only that, but it was a reminder to Viper of what could have been and he didn't exactly want that.

Severus had been the most helpful companion throughout the entire ordeal, even helping him pack his bags for their combined holiday together. He would put his metephorical stamp of approval on which robes and outfits would compliment him most in the different climates and would vehemently decline the ones that were either impractical or unneeded while they were away. Everything that Severus had declined was being transported to Viper's home in India for safekeeping.

And when he turned to look back at the mansion that they had lived in together for two years, he let the tears flow freely. He had read about how hard it could be to walk away from someone you loved so dearly and heartbreaking to realize that the reason you were walking away was because you no longer knew who they were. It wasn't something easily done, and now he knew exactly why.

Because now he knows what those stories and books say when they talk about your heart feeling like it's being left behind and what it's like to feel like everything you've ever known has betrayed you and walked away from you. Now he knew what it was like to shatter his own heart so that way someone else didn't slowly pull it into tiny little pieces. At least this way he had larger pieces to put together which would be easier and faster to mend than the alternative.

He felt Severus's hand on his shoulder and the next thing he knew, they were gone.

Never had he welcomed the uncomfortable feeling of apparating so warmly.

* * *

The next day, Viper woke up in a bed...alone. He didn't cry, but he wanted to. He knew eventually he would need to wake up by himself on something better for him than a couch or a chair he just hadn't realized how much his chest would ache when the day actually showed up. He didn't bother with any breakfast.

* * *

Less than a week later, he was traveling to Italy with Severus. The one person who was patient enough to deal with the constant moping of a heartbroken demon and who was willing to listen to him rant and cry equally about the one person he loved. And Viper was forever grateful for that.

They traveled around for a week, just visiting different parts of Italy as muggle tourists would and then they arrived at the most elaborate castle Viper had ever seen. His eyes widened even farther when he realized that that's where Severus lived and where they would be staying over the course of the next few weeks.

And when he actually walked into the building, he gasped.

* * *

Severus smiled when he heard the young demon gasp at the interior of his castle. He never liked showing off, in fact the only reason anything was even remotely clean was because when he offered for Viper to come with him he told his house elves to do nothing but clean and clean and clean until it was spotless and up to its former glory from when it had first been built. The elves had been all to happy to oblige, apparently they had been going insane inside to know that it was going to the dumps and were itching to get it back up and running again just like old days when they had only been children.

Even Severus was astonished to see his marble staircase to be spotless and polished to perfection with light gold filigree designs on the handrails, even his bronze candlabras had silver filigree he never even suspected to exist let alone be able to give off such a beautiful shine. Not even the candles needed to be lit because of how brilliantly everything shined in the light given off of the large gold and crystal chandalier. It was completely extravagent and completely gorgeous. Why he hadn't have the elves clean it up sooner he would never know.

And it was in that moment, rich with beauty and golden tones, that Severus noticed that Viper had turned to get a full view of the doors from the inside. And in getting the view he wanted, it put Severus on display as well as Viper's face. He would forever wonder if it was a mistake to notice that his cheeks were slightly flushed with golden overtones, his eyes lit up with wonder, his hair flowing down his back practically floating in the atmosphere and that his cheekbones were more prominent in this lighting or if it was some form of devine intervention from the universe telling him to notice what's right in front of him and to appriciate the beauty that it has to offer.

Reguardless of which one it was, he silently vowed on the spot that he would do anything to make sure that this demon knew that he was actually an angel in disguise and deserved better. And whether he liked it or not, he would do his absolute best to hide the fact that he wanted to be the one that could show this man in front of him just how love is supposed to work over the course of a lifetime.

* * *

**And as always, don't forget to review and let me know what your thoughts are on the chapter and what's going on! I love getting inspiration from the reviews I get, not to mention how much more I want to write when I get a reminder that people actually read still :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi guys! It's been awhile, but here's another chapter for you! Like I've told some of you, I tend to just let my stories run off of my imagination, but this one's a little more thought out so it's taking longer to get chapters to you guys. Sorry about the wait, but in the long run, it'll be worth it for sure!**

* * *

Viper didn't realize that the rest of the house would be just as spectacular as the rest of the mansion. Then again, when he had turned around he didn't expect to see Severus standing in just as much awe as he was. If anything, Severus would be the one person that he never would have expected to see surprised or astonished at anything. Disdain, maybe but never awe or any form of surprised. It was like he had never seen the place this clean.

Then it occured to him that maybe he hadn't ever seen this property look so immaculate before. Perhaps he just had cleaned what needed to be cleaned on the rare occassions he was ever out here-Viper did recall that Severus told him he didn't travel to Italy often so when he did it was always a new experience every time he went. So it was likely that he never had the entire building cleaned before, or cleaned to this level for that matter. He could see the man only having stairwells and one room cleaned so he could get in and sleep without being choked by dust.

Without much more delay the two walked up the staircase slowly, admiring how the entire thing gleamed and seemed to shimmer with every movement they made. When they reached the top, Severus pointed to the right.

"Down this hall is your room, a library for your use, and any other type of room you could think of to use at your discretion. To the left is mine. Feel free to ask questions and come find me if you need me, I'm usually just reading and relaxing during the holidays." Viper nodded and walked towards his side of the first floor, completely unaware that he was in for a huge surprise.

The room he would be sleeping in was easy to find, it was the first one on the right. The inside of which was a whole other matter.

He just couldn't see how one could have an entire kitchen, spacious bathroom, completely huge bedroom, a walk-in closet the size of the boys' dormitories at Hogwarts and several other large rooms for recreational purposes not including the living room and den all behind one door. And this was supposed to be a suite? They needed to come up with another name for one this large-and this was only the first room he walked into!

After looking around the place and trying not to get lost in his own bedroom he looked outside and noticed that the sun had set a long time ago. He just hadn't noticed since as the sun's light diminished the candles slowly started burning to make up for the lost light-some ancient magic only meant for the severely wealthy long ago no doubt.

* * *

At the other end of the hall, Severus was walking around, pacing more like, his rooms completely unaware of what was going on inside his own body. How could it be that the little demon could be nothing more but a platonic friend to him suddenly wanting more? How could he even think of wanting to be with the young man, he had seen all of the horrible things he was capable of doing to a man.

And yet, he had seen how incredibly single-minded and completely devoted to the one he was with as well. He had seen the harshest side to anything on the planet and out of the same creature seen the gentlest of touches, the softest of smiles. And he wondered how one creature was able to be so completely opposite of himself at all. In his mind's eye he saw flashes of Viper with Tom, how he touched him so gently like he was afraid Tom would break, how he would smile and his eyes would do this weird shimmery sparkle thing and how he radiated happiness. And more towards the end he saw how Tom shied away from it and denied letting him do anything that involved physically touching, denied gifts, ignored his pleas and even ignored him at times.

It was then that he realized by doing this, Tom had either known that Viper was planning on proposing to him and was trying to get him to realize he wasn't going to marry anyone or if he just didn't realize what he had right in front of him.

And Severus would be damned if he wouldn't give anything in the world to have had Tom's place to be on the other side of those loving touches and sweet gentle caresses. In fact, from most people he would shy away from that kind of touch and any form of affection. So he had a question to ask himself-what was it about the young demon that made him different enough that Severus was willing to play triple spy and want all the mushy stuff he always swore he'd never succumb himself to.

But most importantly, why did he fantasize about giving him exactly what he had seen him giving to Tom all those times?

He needed to find out what made the demon so special and to put an end to the spell that he had been thrusted under.

* * *

Breakfast was an interesting affair the next day. An entire banquet had been set out on the dining table that hadn't been used in who knew how many centuries and the elves had sneakily put Severus and Viper right next to each other. Getting away from the situation would prove futile and neither one was sure what the other was thinking.

Naturally, Severus was still trying to puzzle out why he felt so oddly about anyone, let alone the shadow demon next to him and said demon was trying to figure out why he had dreams all night of him giving Severus attention and flowers and the smiles that he had reserved for Tom. He wasn't sure what it meant and that unnerved him. Then again, perhaps it had nothing to do with romance and all to do with him dreaming he was someone else all together and that it simply meant Severus had gone too long without someone to pay attention to him and vice versa.

What astonished the both of them was when Viper's hair suddenly lifted the tiniest amount of it's own accord when Severus accidentally brushed against his arm in reaching for another piece of toast.

* * *

**Just a bit of a cliff hanger for you guys :D**

**As always, please give me a review, let me know what you think!**

**Happy Readings!**


	4. Chapter 4

It wasn't long before the locals realized that Severus was back in town and when they did they all decided to send notes requesting he dine with them. Severus declined more of them than not saying that he must stay in as he was told to get rest from his doctor. Upon Viper asking for the well thought-out responses, Severus only replied that he had it known widely that when he was in town it was most likely his doctor telling him to take a holiday so he doesn't overwork himself.

"Well, you're doing your potions all the time, wouldn't that still be considered overworking yourself?" Viper hadn't spoken much since they had gotten to Italy, and Severus was willing to carry out the conversation in any way he could-it was unnerving how much he had gotten used to Viper's chattering on about this or that and even more so that he realized once it was gone, he missed hearing what went on in his mind.

"No, that's not overworking myself. Not when the potions I'm making are the ones that I enjoy making. It's overworking when I'm told someone needs this or that potion by this certain day at the latest, now I can brew what I want when I want and I can take as long as I wish with it. It's a hobby that I love doing, I just didn't expect to be doing it for everyone else when I'm at Hogwarts, which is why I no longer stay the summers. I can't keep up with the demand all the time which is what they all expect from me. So to me this is relaxing, it's something I love to do and I'm doing it a relaxed pace. It suits me more." What came out of his companion's mouth next surprised him so much he almost fell out of his chair.

"I've noticed. The slower pace fits you well. It makes you look younger, more handsome." Severus couldn't help but notice that those words shocked Viper just as much as they had shocked him.

Shortly after the awkward moment that ensued, Severus cleared his throat and excused himself to his potions once again.

Viper just sat and wondered.

* * *

Viper decided to take a walk around the mansion to explore his surroundings more thouroughly than he had done withing the time he had been here. It was high time he give himself time to do something for himself while he thought-in other words he needed space to walk while he let his mind wander.

And wander it did. It made him think about a whole load of things he didn't exactly want to think about so soon, but while they were popping up he figured he might as well examine the reasons as to why they were coming to the forefront of his mind so quickly.

The first being why he kept thinking about, and resisting the urge to, giving Severus endless amounts of affection and falling asleep next to him late at night. That wasn't just a friendly gesture to be feeling, it wasn't even like it was a familial thing to do. No, this was something more and it threw him off, especially since he wasn't completely over Tom. Although, he supposed he never would be over him...but he wouldn't go back. He didn't want to have anything to do with an ungrateful golddigger. Of course, if he ever changed...but no. That was perposterous. He had his chance with Viper and he blew it after countless clues and hints and outright screaming matches between him and Severus...Tom knew he was pushing Viper away he just hadn't cared enough to change it.

Which was a damn shame because Viper was getting tired of sleeping by himself.

And that led him to wonder as to why he had caught himself sleepwalking to Severus's rooms late a few nights ago.

He wasn't sure if it was just because he was lonely and wanted someone to be there to comfort him or if it was because he wanted Severus specifically to be there to comfort him or if he wanted him to sweep him off his feet with reciprocated affection like he always wanted from Tom. The fact that he couldn't make up his mind boggled him.

After much deliberation and thinking about things that were way too deep for him to really get any good answers from he ended up in the kitchen again where he mixed himself a drink. It wasn't much, but it was enough to get him to start looking deeper into the emotions and reasonings that he was too reserved to think about when he was sober.


	5. Chapter 5

It was after he had just downed the last bit of his drink that he noticed Severus standing in the doorway watching his glass pointedly. He held it out in a gesture that indicated the question of would he like one as well? Severus nodded and pushed himself off the doorframe to walk in and sit down at the island. It was a much homier kitchen than Viper had ever imagined could exist in such a mansion as glorious as this.

"So," started Severus while glass clinked on glass as the drinks were being made. "What's with you wandering all over my mansion with the gloomiest air I've seen on you in a long time? I thought you were over the whole Tom situation." Viper snorted.

"Yeah, over that. I have been. I've accepted that he's an overbearing and ungrateful gold digger and that I shouldn't be upset. But I am. Not because I miss him, although I do, but because I miss being around someone. It's hard to explain but I feel this deep urge to be giving a loved one things and making them forever love me and the urge to woe someone is overwhelming to say the least. It's...hard to process and resist." Severus nodded, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"I believe I know the problem here." Viper looked up so quickly he was amazed the action didn't give him whiplash. "The problem," he thanked Viper for the drink he was being handed and took a small sip. "The problem is that you are a Shadow Demon. You must be sensing an imminent sense of doom, perhaps war or some other personal conflicts that could leave you so weak your species would die out without you mating and having a child. I believe it's either that or you're around someone that your demon side has decided is worthy of your affection, if I recall correctly it seemed as though everything with Tom was merely just because you were under a lot of pressure and that you were in imminent danger. I believe you were being led to try to mate before something awful happened and since the danger passed your demon decided it wasn't worth it to keep going after him. And yet you did. I think that was more you not knowing what to do after that and not wanting to let go after putting so much time and energy into what you had with him. Now that it's over you're either very close to finding your true mate or you're about to be in some serious danger."

Viper's mouth was hanging open by the time Severus was done. It made so much more sense to him now, the way he always seemed to find himself pinning over Severus when he wasn't paying attention. What to do now was a mystery to him. He wasn't sure if it was because he didn't like being lonely or if Severus was indeed his mate or if he was about to be attacked...but he'd feel that in his bones before anything were to happen to him.

It only left him with one logical option.

"If you're quite done drooling, you can pick your jaw up off the floor. I know my ideas are rather revolutionary but this is ridiculous." Viper quickly brought himself back together and smiled softly before walking away and forgetting his drink on the counter in the process. He kept going, not hearing Severus ask if he was okay or where he was going. He just kept walking at a leisurely pace to nowhere in particular.

He found himself several hours later somewhere in a labyrinth of secret passages. He hadn't noticed were he had been going until it was too late to pay attention. He was too wrapped up in his own mind and the idea that he actually had an interest in Severus. And not just a friendly interest.

A romantic interest.

* * *

Severus had watched Harry walk right on by and had called his name out a few times, all to no avail. The demon was so lost in his own mind that he wouldn't register anything around him until he had reached a conclusion that he could comprehend.

And now came the part that Severus hated the most.

Coming to terms with the solutions and ideas that he had offered Viper.

He couldn't imagine there being imminent danger without either one of them not knowing, so his next best bet was to assume that he was either an interest of the other or that he was actually his true mate. Either one of those could realistically be it and it would explain the odd vibes he'd been getting around his friend for the past few days. It would also explain why he would avoid him at every turn.

But was he okay with that?

The real question he needed to be asking himself was if the situation arose that he had an opportunity to be swept off his feet by this man, would he take it and would he be okay with it? He was never one for relationships, they often left him an awkward blubbering mess and he wasn't really one to live with someone else. He didn't even do that great at being a guest at any inn or hotel. So what would make it different with Harry?

Well, for one he had lived with him before and it wasn't so bad. They knew each other's boundries and they both got along fairly well. Or rather they both knew how to trigger the other's humour. He just wasn't sure if he could do it with that kind of commitment involved, before it was more of a business deal that turned into friendship. But more than that? Would he be able to handle that?

He wasn't sure.

* * *

**Hey guys! As always please don't forget to leave me a review down below, let me know what you're thinking!**

**Happy Readings!**


	6. Chapter 6

The next few days went without incident. Severus stayed in his potions lab for hours upon hours, pausing his work only when a house elf would bring him food. It was more out of politeness that he didn't outright yell at them. He knew they were being told to bring him food by his current vacation mate and he didn't want to confuse the poor creatures any more than he already had.

Viper, on the other hand, spend the majority of his time in the kitchen. He would make wonderful roast turkey, slice off a few pieces and make turkey sandwiches and had the rest taken to a local soup kitchen for those who were too poor to afford food. They could do with something besides the nasty cheap stuff they get anyway. He would then switch gears and start working on some form of dinner along with a small chocolate or something similar for afterwards. Everything was perfectly planned, it relaxed him, and he didn't need to worry about calling upon his shadows to get him back to where he needed to be. This way, he could be physically moving and his mind could wander appropriately to think about anything and everything he needed to think about.

He considered the ups and downs of trying to persue a romantic interlude with Severus. Although it would mostly benefit him in the end, there was also a few downsides.

One being that he still considered himself in love with Tom.

And that would bring up the Tom debate. Whether or not it was healthy for him to live with Tom, for him to even be with Tom romantically. It wasn't something that seemed to offer any sort of long term happiness not to mention that the man had recently broken his heart. A slow, torturous break. It had started with the subtle waving away his requests to do anything, his desire to sleep in shifts so more work could get done. Not like Tom had done much of the work anyway, that was mostly him. He would vaguely wonder how he was handling having this much on his plate again after having so much of it done for him for so long. One can grow lazy fairly quickly.

In the end he wouldn't know what he wanted, who he wanted to be with more. And he would decide every night that the next day he would do something else, think about anything except his love life. And the next day he would always think about it anyway.

Severus, on the other hand, knew that a part of him would like to be in a relationship with the demon. But another part of him wasn't sure how it would work, if they would be a long term thing or if it would only be so the other could procreate. Although being the father of the next generation of Shadow Demons was almost enough to convince him that even a fling would be worth it, his romantic side would show and make him crave what he's so long hidden from the world.

He did have a soft side, no matter what other people said. He did want to be with someone for the rest of his life. He didn't just want a lifelong friend, he wanted a lifetime lover. Someone who could make him feel like he was wanted, like his hair wasn't a lost cause and like his nose had never been broken in the first place. He wanted all of that and yet, he didn't know how to obtain it. He didn't even know if he wanted any of that with someone who was more than willing to give it. The feeling of abandonment was too strong, the fear of being hurt again was too much for him to handle.

No, he couldn't do it. Not unless the other made the first move. And by Merlin, he would do everything in his power to make sure he didn't advertise just how much he wanted him to make that move.

It was too late when he realized that he had said all of this out loud to himself, and even worse it was much too late to take any of it back when he realized that Viper was standing in the doorway that had been left open by him.


End file.
